PROMOTION OF ACCESS PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT, 2 TO INFORMATION ACT, 2

OF 2000OF 2000City of Cape TownCity of Cape Town

17 March 201017 March 2010

PAIAPAIA The purpose of the PAIA is to give effect to The purpose of the PAIA is to give effect to

the constitutional right of access to any the constitutional right of access to any information held by a public bodyinformation held by a public body

The definition of “public body” includes The definition of “public body” includes any municipality in the local sphere of any municipality in the local sphere of governmentgovernment

The right of access to information is The right of access to information is subject only to certain justifiable subject only to certain justifiable limitationslimitations

Information refers to any recorded Information refers to any recorded information regardless of its form or information regardless of its form or mediummedium

ComplianceCompliance

The PAIA requires, inter alia -The PAIA requires, inter alia -

• that certain manuals pertaining to a that certain manuals pertaining to a public body be available to the public, public body be available to the public,

• that annual reporting to the Human that annual reporting to the Human Rights Commission takes place, Rights Commission takes place,

• that procedures be in place to ensure that procedures be in place to ensure effective handling of requests for access effective handling of requests for access to informationto information

Western Cape Access to Western Cape Access to Information ForumInformation Forum

The Provincial Government recently The Provincial Government recently entered into an agreement with the City of entered into an agreement with the City of Cape Town and ODAC to establish a ForumCape Town and ODAC to establish a Forum

The purpose of this Forum is to promote The purpose of this Forum is to promote the constitutional right of access to the constitutional right of access to informationinformation

The Forum will comprise representatives The Forum will comprise representatives of ODAC, the local sphere of government of ODAC, the local sphere of government as well as Provincial Governmentas well as Provincial Government

PurposePurpose

Persons with the necessary expertise will Persons with the necessary expertise will be appointed to provide advice, training be appointed to provide advice, training and technical assistance to local spheres and technical assistance to local spheres of government to ensure proper of government to ensure proper compliance with the PAIA at no cost to compliance with the PAIA at no cost to municipalitiesmunicipalities

The Forum will furthermore provide a The Forum will furthermore provide a mechanism where role players can mechanism where role players can interact on matters relating to access to interact on matters relating to access to information within their respective information within their respective geographical areasgeographical areas

CommunicationCommunication Representatives of the Forum will Representatives of the Forum will

contact municipal managers in due contact municipal managers in due course to arrange for consultations to course to arrange for consultations to ascertain the necessary assistance ascertain the necessary assistance required by the relevant municipality required by the relevant municipality

RecommendationRecommendation The Forum takes note of the The Forum takes note of the

presentation and supports the roll presentation and supports the roll out of the access to information out of the access to information capacity building process aimed at capacity building process aimed at assisting municipalities.assisting municipalities.

Thank you